


Through and Through

by ideallyqualia



Series: OiKage [2]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Canon Universe, Character Study, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Relationship Study
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-23
Updated: 2015-08-23
Packaged: 2018-04-16 18:38:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4635996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ideallyqualia/pseuds/ideallyqualia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kageyama keeps coming up in Oikawa's conversations.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Through and Through

It was meant to be an insult. It was petty, but Oikawa wasn't thinking about impressions. He was in the moment, and it fit.  

_Uselessly adorable kouhai._

Oikawa pulled his hand back, returning it to his side. He was suddenly glad that he came outside alone, away from Hanamaki and Matsukawa. They would be repeating it by now, snorting and hedging in the fact that it was really a compliment.

Oikawa wanted to take it back. Subverting himself like this wasn't humiliating since Kageyama's uselessness left him laughably unaffected, but Oikawa knew what he said. It didn't matter that Kageyama didn't understand.

Kageyama looked at him, focused on a spot in the air as if Oikawa's hand was still pointing at him.

"There really is no point to telling you anything," Oikawa said. "It takes a certain kind of genius to be this dense."

"Uh."

"You can't make me say anything."

Kageyama looked so confused, eyebrows creased so seriously, and Oikawa had to walk away before he started laughing. It was a precautionary measure, leaving before he could confuse himself with talking into a hole right in front of Kageyama. If he had to tell someone like Iwaizumi what happened, Oikawa would've said it was because he politely left so he wouldn't hassle Kageyama more.

 

* * *

 

"Calling him a genius isn't a compliment," Oikawa told Iwaizumi. "I'm an honest person, just giving credit where credit is due." 

Iwaizumi was still irritated that Oikawa considered Kageyama better at tosses. Even if it was the truth. Iwaizumi was competitive and hated losing, and a loss from Seijou to Karasuno was a loss no matter who was involved.

"You have two years of experience ahead of him," Iwaizumi said. "No amount of talent can completely override developed skill like that."

"Iwa-chan is worried over nothing. You're not even listening!" Oikawa leaned back in his chair, chin falling to his chest lazily as he slid against the back of his chair. They were at a coffee shop, sitting in the air-conditioned room and letting streams of cool air drift around.

Oikawa was a calculating person. He wasn't a calculated genius, but he could appreciate a conversation of hypotheticals, of what-ifs and whimsical court simulations. Iwaizumi was too invested in moments on the court to care about the actual balance of talent, power, and luck guiding a match, so he didn't want to humor Oikawa.

"Yeah, you're honest. Honestly annoying." Iwaizumi let his hand fall to the table, linking his fingers around the drink to lift it and sip.

"That's not very nice." Oikawa waved his hand idly. "This topic is starting to get boring. Would Iwa-chan like to start a new one?"

Oikawa referred to him like that on purpose, hoping to goad a reaction. It was harmless, Oikawa knew. 

Iwaizumi set his drink down and eyed Oikawa's iced coffee. "You still haven't paid me for your drink."

 

* * *

 

Oikawa thought Kunimi was a calm and cautious person, considerate of details but not fixating on the infuriating ones. Kunimi was conservative with what he actually worked himself up over, wasting no energy unless he was compelled. 

"I wasn't there in most of the practice match against Karasuno," Oikawa said. "How was Tobio?"

Kunimi's eyes flashed, distilling the memory as if he had to take the time to recall other memories to put them in context. 

"He improved."

"Oh? How so?" Oikawa asked.

"I don't know how to put it, but I thought I saw him listen to his teammates for once."

_For once_ was pointed, edged with something worse than nostalgia but not the desire of regret. 

"So Tobio is making friends." 

"It wasn't that friendly," Kunimi clarified.

"Then at the very least, we have a Tobio-chan who actually has team spirit."

Kunimi grimaced. Not from Kageyama becoming a team player, not from jealousy or bitterness, but from the colored tone of Oikawa's voice. Oikawa's cheer was even more noticeable than usual, cheer that was more real instead of affected and drawn out just to tease someone.

"You sound pleased." 

"I always accept challenges," Oikawa said simply.

 

* * *

 

Oikawa was teasing then, but he was also speaking in plaintive truths, that it was more fun if Kageyama was actually a threat in volleyball. There was no satisfaction from empty victory. 

"What do you think, Kindaichi?" Oikawa asked. Oikawa never decided on a nickname for him, but Kindaichi failed to notice. Oikawa liked saying his name anyway, almost as entertaining as  _Tobio._

"I don't know what you mean, but it's always good giving jerks what they deserve," Kindaichi said. "It doesn't matter if Kageyama is talented or not."

"Negativity is an ugly road, Kindaichi," Oikawa chided.

Kindaichi glanced down in confusion. Again, Oikawa had no idea what he was actually saying, but the movement of Kindaichi looking down instead of up held Oikawa's attention, reminding him that Kindaichi was taller.

"What?"

"I said, you're too tall. We should sit down. Sit."

Kindaichi's deepening blankness made Oikawa laugh. With something polarizing like Kageyama as a topic, Kindaichi could be very expressive, but otherwise he was docile and just fell into line.

"You missed my question," Oikawa said as they sat on the bench waiting for other players to arrive to the gym for practice. Hanamaki was lounging next to them, listening but opinion-less. "I meant, what do you think of  _Tobio_?"

"I'm glad we're not on the same team anymore, but it's… It's annoying," Kindaichi said. "He acts like he's on a team now."

Oikawa hummed in thought. "I think that's just because of Karasuno. If Tobio came here, it'd be a disaster."

Oikawa stopped himself when he realized he was doing it again, playing around with alternate futures and what-could-have-beens. It wasn't going to change anything.

"Don't even joke about stuff like that," Kindaichi said. Oikawa wasn't joking, though; just thoughtful.

 

* * *

 

"For such an interesting person, your rivalries are dull," Hanamaki said. 

"No, not dull," Matsukawa corrected. "I know it's not dull. It's funny, maybe. I bet Oikawa used to boss him around."

"I'm an interesting person?" Oikawa asked. He wasn't hopeful of the admiration in that. Hanamaki and Matsukawa always found a way to twist their own sentences around. If Oikawa said things he didn't mean for the sake of saying them, then they had their own unreachable kind of humor.

"Do you ever get bored of talking about Kageyama?" Matsukawa asked.

"I don't bring him up that much," Oikawa said.

"You do."

"As a rival," Hanamaki added, like it needed to be said.

"Tobio-chan isn't a rival."

"Then what is he?" Hanamaki asked.

Oikawa could tell they were just bored, they had nothing better to do than harass him about this. They sounded entertained, anyway.

Oikawa almost said  _kouhai_ , but that would be wrong. It would only be sort of wrong, they didn't go to the same school anymore so the teammate connection was gone, but calling him that felt like a trap.

"Fine. A rival, to put it in your words," Oikawa said. It sat better than other words floating around in his mind.

"Somehow, I feel like we've just been given ammunition," Hanamaki whispered to Matsukawa.

**Author's Note:**

> (General A/N that exists at the end of all my fics): I find unsolicited concrit really rude, I'm not looking for any. Please don't tell me someone was OOC/something happened you didn't like/it's too short/etc. in any bookmarks or comments.


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